Biography and education
Adam Atkinson (he/they) is a metalsmith, curator, and educator. Their work is informed by the visual lexicon of natural history, childhood memories, and material research. The body acts as the primary site for investigation, resulting in objects of adornment and sculpture. Metalsmithing processes such as repoussé are combined with experimental media in wood, concrete, and fur to produce work exploring the liminality of opposing forces.
Atkinson received an MFA in Metal Design at East Carolina University (2019), and a BFA at Boise State University (2013). Their work has been exhibited widely including the Metal Museum in Memphis, TN, and Nagoya Zokei University in Nagoya, Japan. They co-founded Spectral Matter (2019), a biennial exhibition highlighting LGBTQIA+ artists. They have received numerous accolades including the teaching Fellowship at the Baltimore Jewelry Center, the Emerging Artist Cohort through the American Craft Council, and the three-year residency at Penland School of Craft.
Atkinson received an MFA in Metal Design at East Carolina University (2019), and a BFA at Boise State University (2013). Their work has been exhibited widely including the Metal Museum in Memphis, TN, and Nagoya Zokei University in Nagoya, Japan. They co-founded Spectral Matter (2019), a biennial exhibition highlighting LGBTQIA+ artists. They have received numerous accolades including the teaching Fellowship at the Baltimore Jewelry Center, the Emerging Artist Cohort through the American Craft Council, and the three-year residency at Penland School of Craft.
Featured scholarly/creative works
- Decoy I, Decoy II, Birds of a Feather, & Pairs Series.
True F. Luck Gallery at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond.
November 7, 2025 - January 11, 2026
Artists: Group
(National)
Schedule:
- A Dream Outside My Body. November 7, 2025 - January 11, 2026 Visual Arts Center of Richmond, Richmond, VA.
- Golden Ghost.
Sandra J Blaine Gallery, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts.
May 15, 2025 - November 15, 2025
Artists: Group
(National)
Schedule:
- Instructor Exhibition. May 15, 2025 - November 15, 2025 Sandra J Blaine Gallery, Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, Gatlinburg, TN.
- You Asked They Answered Adam Atkinson. Metalsmith Magazine. 45. Vol. 1. 24 - 25. Eugene, OR: Society for North American Goldsmiths. International. March 2025.
- Rock Hard: Works in Wood and Stone.
Emerge Gallery.
January 3, 2025 - January 30, 2025
Artists: Solo
(National)
Schedule:
- Rock Hard: Works in Wood and Stone. January 3, 2025 - January 30, 2025 Emerge Gallery, Greenville, NC.
Featured service activities
- Undergraduate Advisor
Texas State Metals Guild
- Other
Texas State University
- Coordinator / Organizer
Arrowmont School for Arts and Crafts
- Adjudicator
East Carolina University Material Topics Symposium